Written By: Brittney Penland

Andrew Jeschke, senior mass media student from Alpharetta, won first place overall and first place fan favorite in VSU’s 48 hour film festival on Oct.19.

“The film [Strange Fruit] takes a twisted look on realism through the lives of three individuals linked through extra-ordinary occurrences,” Jeschke said.

The three requirements for the film were to use hand sanitizer as a prop, have a character that is dying, and use the line of dialogue, “Did anyone else hear trumpets?”

Jeschke is the writer, director, producer and editor of the film.

“This is the first time I got to create something for myself in a while,” Jeschke said. “I wanted to make a film that was shocking and in your face.”

“It was great to see everybody’s hard work,” Jeschke said. “I get to compete against the mass media faculty in a 48 hour film festival next semester, it would be cool to beat the professors.”

Jeshcke discovered his interest in video production at an early age.

“In eighth grade, I wasn’t very good at skate boarding, but I could make videos of my friends skate boarding,” Jeschke said. “Then in high school, my friends and I made short films.

“I took broadcasting my senior year of high school and my teacher wanted me to enter into a film festival. I won first place and that’s when I decided I wanted to go to a college with a film department,” Jeschke said.

Last summer, Jeschke worked as an office production assistant for the VH1 reality show, “G.R.I.T.S.” (Girls Raised In The South).

“While working for the show, I learned a lot of great things and met people who are all passionate about the same thing,” Jeschke said.

Jeschke stays busy by working on other jobs such as creating commercials for downtown Valdosta, making corporate videos for Fusion Creative Marketing and making videos for Wiregrass Technical College.

“I have been working for VSU’s production services for over a year,” Jeschke said. “I’ve been offered a job working for a media company in California when I graduate. I’d like to create art films; films that are a bit unconventional and push the limits in all perspectives.”